DIY roof rack idea Hey folks, I’m designing a DIY roof…
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DIY roof rack idea
Hey folks, I’m designing a DIY roof rack for my high-roof extended Ford Transit and would love some feedback on the design.
The goal is to mount three large residential solar panels horizontally (East-West).
Here is the design concept I'm planning out:
Outer frame: 2" x 2" x 3/16" (6061-T6) aluminum angle iron. Total length is 150.5 inches. Two short-side angle irons to make a rectangle.
The two long side rails will bolt directly into roof towers. Spans between towers are roughly 35 inches.
One single piece 1" x 2" x 1/8" aluminum rectangle tube running right down the center, bolted under the short-side crossmembers making a full 150\~ span. The center tube will support the middle of the panels (.165 shims between the bar and the panels).
Concerns:
Will through-bolting the short edges & the center of the 69.4" span to a center beam be enough to support the panel w upward wind lift?
Over a 150-inch aluminum rail, do I need to worry about expansion/contraction causing buckling, or will utilizing the factory oblong/slotted holes on the solar frames give it enough breathing room?
Does this design hold up from an engineering standpoint, or am I missing a major blind spot by skipping traditional crossbars? Appreciate any critiques!
#lifestyle
source
Hey folks, I’m designing a DIY roof rack for my high-roof extended Ford Transit and would love some feedback on the design.
The goal is to mount three large residential solar panels horizontally (East-West).
Here is the design concept I'm planning out:
Outer frame: 2" x 2" x 3/16" (6061-T6) aluminum angle iron. Total length is 150.5 inches. Two short-side angle irons to make a rectangle.
The two long side rails will bolt directly into roof towers. Spans between towers are roughly 35 inches.
One single piece 1" x 2" x 1/8" aluminum rectangle tube running right down the center, bolted under the short-side crossmembers making a full 150\~ span. The center tube will support the middle of the panels (.165 shims between the bar and the panels).
Concerns:
Will through-bolting the short edges & the center of the 69.4" span to a center beam be enough to support the panel w upward wind lift?
Over a 150-inch aluminum rail, do I need to worry about expansion/contraction causing buckling, or will utilizing the factory oblong/slotted holes on the solar frames give it enough breathing room?
Does this design hold up from an engineering standpoint, or am I missing a major blind spot by skipping traditional crossbars? Appreciate any critiques!
#lifestyle
source
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